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  4. Best Practices turned into Coding Horrors.

Best Practices turned into Coding Horrors.

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  • P Paulo Zemek

    It is a well known good practice to use StringBuilders instead of doing many string concatenations. Yet, I got really impressed when I saw a document telling to replace things like this:

    private const string SQL =
    "SELECT " +
    " ID, " +
    " NAME, " +
    " BIRTHDAY " +
    "FROM " +
    " TABLE " +
    "WHERE " +
    " NAME LIKE @PARAM";

    By creating the StringBuilder everytime in the method where the SQL was being used. Maybe I am wrong :doh: , but I really believe consts aren't doing bad string concatenations all the time.

    R Offline
    R Offline
    R Giskard Reventlov
    wrote on last edited by
    #3

    But why would anyone write it like that in the first place??? It's horrible. And let's not even begin to talk about why it should be a stored procedure...

    "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me

    P B J B 4 Replies Last reply
    0
    • R R Giskard Reventlov

      But why would anyone write it like that in the first place??? It's horrible. And let's not even begin to talk about why it should be a stored procedure...

      "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me

      P Offline
      P Offline
      Paulo Zemek
      wrote on last edited by
      #4

      Simple... "best practices". :laugh:

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • P Paulo Zemek

        It is a well known good practice to use StringBuilders instead of doing many string concatenations. Yet, I got really impressed when I saw a document telling to replace things like this:

        private const string SQL =
        "SELECT " +
        " ID, " +
        " NAME, " +
        " BIRTHDAY " +
        "FROM " +
        " TABLE " +
        "WHERE " +
        " NAME LIKE @PARAM";

        By creating the StringBuilder everytime in the method where the SQL was being used. Maybe I am wrong :doh: , but I really believe consts aren't doing bad string concatenations all the time.

        M Offline
        M Offline
        MacSpudster
        wrote on last edited by
        #5

        Yeah, this code is incredibly silly. Anybody knows it should be private static readonly string SQL = ;P

        P 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • M MacSpudster

          Yeah, this code is incredibly silly. Anybody knows it should be private static readonly string SQL = ;P

          P Offline
          P Offline
          Paulo Zemek
          wrote on last edited by
          #6

          I don't know if you are being serious or if you are joking, after all, you are saying something intermediary... it is not an horror, but it is not right... it's strange.

          M 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • P Paulo Zemek

            I don't know if you are being serious or if you are joking, after all, you are saying something intermediary... it is not an horror, but it is not right... it's strange.

            M Offline
            M Offline
            MacSpudster
            wrote on last edited by
            #7

            Edited my post... ;P

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • P Paulo Zemek

              It is a well known good practice to use StringBuilders instead of doing many string concatenations. Yet, I got really impressed when I saw a document telling to replace things like this:

              private const string SQL =
              "SELECT " +
              " ID, " +
              " NAME, " +
              " BIRTHDAY " +
              "FROM " +
              " TABLE " +
              "WHERE " +
              " NAME LIKE @PARAM";

              By creating the StringBuilder everytime in the method where the SQL was being used. Maybe I am wrong :doh: , but I really believe consts aren't doing bad string concatenations all the time.

              P Offline
              P Offline
              PIEBALDconsult
              wrote on last edited by
              #8

              Indeed, not a candidate for StringBuilderhood. And I write it as

              private const string SQL =
              @"
              SELECT ID
              , NAME
              , BIRTHDAY
              FROM TABLE
              WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
              " ;

              so it prints out nice in error messages [added>>] and I can very easily copy/paste it between a code file and SSMS or other SQL executor.

              B J K 3 Replies Last reply
              0
              • R R Giskard Reventlov

                But why would anyone write it like that in the first place??? It's horrible. And let's not even begin to talk about why it should be a stored procedure...

                "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me

                B Offline
                B Offline
                Brady Kelly
                wrote on last edited by
                #9

                I see little reason to not use a parametrized query like that. OK, if it is static enough top define a const, there is a small case against storing all your query code in the binary instead of the more accessible DB server, but not much else of a case.

                R 1 Reply Last reply
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                • P PIEBALDconsult

                  Indeed, not a candidate for StringBuilderhood. And I write it as

                  private const string SQL =
                  @"
                  SELECT ID
                  , NAME
                  , BIRTHDAY
                  FROM TABLE
                  WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
                  " ;

                  so it prints out nice in error messages [added>>] and I can very easily copy/paste it between a code file and SSMS or other SQL executor.

                  B Offline
                  B Offline
                  Brady Kelly
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #10

                  :thumbsup:

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • P Paulo Zemek

                    It is a well known good practice to use StringBuilders instead of doing many string concatenations. Yet, I got really impressed when I saw a document telling to replace things like this:

                    private const string SQL =
                    "SELECT " +
                    " ID, " +
                    " NAME, " +
                    " BIRTHDAY " +
                    "FROM " +
                    " TABLE " +
                    "WHERE " +
                    " NAME LIKE @PARAM";

                    By creating the StringBuilder everytime in the method where the SQL was being used. Maybe I am wrong :doh: , but I really believe consts aren't doing bad string concatenations all the time.

                    K Offline
                    K Offline
                    KRucker
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #11

                    The "Best Practice" is not to use string concatenation in a loop. The reason is that under the hood when concatinating two strings, a third string will be created large enough to bold both source strings. The source strings will be copied to that new string, the original string destroyed, then recreated and the contents of the temporary string copied into it, then the temporary string destroyed. The concatination that you are showing should be fine, unless it is being performed in a loop.

                    P J K 3 Replies Last reply
                    0
                    • K KRucker

                      The "Best Practice" is not to use string concatenation in a loop. The reason is that under the hood when concatinating two strings, a third string will be created large enough to bold both source strings. The source strings will be copied to that new string, the original string destroyed, then recreated and the contents of the temporary string copied into it, then the temporary string destroyed. The concatination that you are showing should be fine, unless it is being performed in a loop.

                      P Offline
                      P Offline
                      Paulo Zemek
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #12

                      You are talking about the real Best Practice. But the "Best Practice" is to replace any string concatenation, even in consts, by a StringBuilder.

                      B 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • P Paulo Zemek

                        It is a well known good practice to use StringBuilders instead of doing many string concatenations. Yet, I got really impressed when I saw a document telling to replace things like this:

                        private const string SQL =
                        "SELECT " +
                        " ID, " +
                        " NAME, " +
                        " BIRTHDAY " +
                        "FROM " +
                        " TABLE " +
                        "WHERE " +
                        " NAME LIKE @PARAM";

                        By creating the StringBuilder everytime in the method where the SQL was being used. Maybe I am wrong :doh: , but I really believe consts aren't doing bad string concatenations all the time.

                        R Offline
                        R Offline
                        RafagaX
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #13

                        Well, best practices are not always the best... :doh:

                        CEO at: - Rafaga Systems - Para Facturas - Modern Components for the moment...

                        C P 2 Replies Last reply
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                        • B Brady Kelly

                          I see little reason to not use a parametrized query like that. OK, if it is static enough top define a const, there is a small case against storing all your query code in the binary instead of the more accessible DB server, but not much else of a case.

                          R Offline
                          R Offline
                          R Giskard Reventlov
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #14

                          It's not the end of the world, certainly; my preference is to keep databasey stuff in the database. It's just neater; besides, all those +++ and line breaks: FUGLY!!!

                          "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me

                          B 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • R R Giskard Reventlov

                            But why would anyone write it like that in the first place??? It's horrible. And let's not even begin to talk about why it should be a stored procedure...

                            "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me

                            J Offline
                            J Offline
                            jschell
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #15

                            mark merrens wrote:

                            But why would anyone write it like that in the first place???

                            How else are you going to code a string which contains SQL? One really long line?

                            mark merrens wrote:

                            And let's not even begin to talk about why it should be a stored procedure...

                            Presumably you mean it should be a proc instead. Perhaps. But some procs might be rather long when expressed as a SQL string - so same problem.

                            1 Reply Last reply
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                            • P PIEBALDconsult

                              Indeed, not a candidate for StringBuilderhood. And I write it as

                              private const string SQL =
                              @"
                              SELECT ID
                              , NAME
                              , BIRTHDAY
                              FROM TABLE
                              WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
                              " ;

                              so it prints out nice in error messages [added>>] and I can very easily copy/paste it between a code file and SSMS or other SQL executor.

                              J Offline
                              J Offline
                              jschell
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #16

                              PIEBALDconsult wrote:

                              And I write it as

                              So to be clear your code looks like the following? And this format is 'better'?

                              namespace mystuff.otherStuff
                              {
                              //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              /// /// This is where I do database stuff
                              ///
                              //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              public static class MyDbConstants
                              {
                              private const string SQL1 =
                              @"
                              SELECT ID
                              , NAME
                              , BIRTHDAY
                              FROM TABLE
                              WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
                              " ;

                              private const string SQL2 =
                              @"
                              SELECT ID
                              , NAME
                              , BIRTHDAY
                              FROM TABLE_OTHER
                              WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
                              " ;

                              private const string SQL3 =
                              @"
                              SELECT ID
                              , NAME
                              , BIRTHDAY
                              FROM TABLE_OTHER2
                              WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
                              " ;

                              // 100 other like the above with increasing complexity.

                              P B 2 Replies Last reply
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                              • K KRucker

                                The "Best Practice" is not to use string concatenation in a loop. The reason is that under the hood when concatinating two strings, a third string will be created large enough to bold both source strings. The source strings will be copied to that new string, the original string destroyed, then recreated and the contents of the temporary string copied into it, then the temporary string destroyed. The concatination that you are showing should be fine, unless it is being performed in a loop.

                                J Offline
                                J Offline
                                jschell
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #17

                                KRucker wrote:

                                The "Best Practice" is not to use string concatenation in a loop.

                                It still depends on what the "string" is. And it also depends on the impact of the code under use. Most of the time a builder is pointless because it does nothing but obfuscate the code.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • R RafagaX

                                  Well, best practices are not always the best... :doh:

                                  CEO at: - Rafaga Systems - Para Facturas - Modern Components for the moment...

                                  C Offline
                                  C Offline
                                  Chad3F
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #18

                                  "Best practices" are "at best" someone's opinion. ;) In some cases that opinion may be shared by many, but that doesn't always make it right. After all, at one time, how many people had the opinion the world was flat and the best practice was not to sail too far out? While some things that are considered a best practice I do see reason to use over alternatives, I really don't like the idea of having an arbitrary list of "do these things for best results". They (you know, the "they" that killed Kenny) might as well call it "'boxes to use and not think outside of' practices" instead of "best practices".

                                  J K 2 Replies Last reply
                                  0
                                  • J jschell

                                    PIEBALDconsult wrote:

                                    And I write it as

                                    So to be clear your code looks like the following? And this format is 'better'?

                                    namespace mystuff.otherStuff
                                    {
                                    //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    /// /// This is where I do database stuff
                                    ///
                                    //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    public static class MyDbConstants
                                    {
                                    private const string SQL1 =
                                    @"
                                    SELECT ID
                                    , NAME
                                    , BIRTHDAY
                                    FROM TABLE
                                    WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
                                    " ;

                                    private const string SQL2 =
                                    @"
                                    SELECT ID
                                    , NAME
                                    , BIRTHDAY
                                    FROM TABLE_OTHER
                                    WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
                                    " ;

                                    private const string SQL3 =
                                    @"
                                    SELECT ID
                                    , NAME
                                    , BIRTHDAY
                                    FROM TABLE_OTHER2
                                    WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
                                    " ;

                                    // 100 other like the above with increasing complexity.

                                    P Offline
                                    P Offline
                                    PIEBALDconsult
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #19

                                    No, I don't use consts for SQL.

                                    J 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • R RafagaX

                                      Well, best practices are not always the best... :doh:

                                      CEO at: - Rafaga Systems - Para Facturas - Modern Components for the moment...

                                      P Offline
                                      P Offline
                                      PIEBALDconsult
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #20

                                      It's best to avoid "best practices".

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • R R Giskard Reventlov

                                        It's not the end of the world, certainly; my preference is to keep databasey stuff in the database. It's just neater; besides, all those +++ and line breaks: FUGLY!!!

                                        "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me

                                        B Offline
                                        B Offline
                                        Brady Kelly
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #21

                                        Yes, he could hide the queries in resources files, not out in public code.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • J jschell

                                          PIEBALDconsult wrote:

                                          And I write it as

                                          So to be clear your code looks like the following? And this format is 'better'?

                                          namespace mystuff.otherStuff
                                          {
                                          //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          /// /// This is where I do database stuff
                                          ///
                                          //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          public static class MyDbConstants
                                          {
                                          private const string SQL1 =
                                          @"
                                          SELECT ID
                                          , NAME
                                          , BIRTHDAY
                                          FROM TABLE
                                          WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
                                          " ;

                                          private const string SQL2 =
                                          @"
                                          SELECT ID
                                          , NAME
                                          , BIRTHDAY
                                          FROM TABLE_OTHER
                                          WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
                                          " ;

                                          private const string SQL3 =
                                          @"
                                          SELECT ID
                                          , NAME
                                          , BIRTHDAY
                                          FROM TABLE_OTHER2
                                          WHERE NAME LIKE @PARAM
                                          " ;

                                          // 100 other like the above with increasing complexity.

                                          B Offline
                                          B Offline
                                          Brady Kelly
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #22

                                          Looks pretty damned neat to me. I always write out my SQL with each identifier or keyword on its own line. Much easier to read and diagnose.

                                          J 1 Reply Last reply
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